Jessica Eyers – Hiberna

Queenstown super low energy house

September 29, 2015 by Jessica Eyers Filed Under: Projects

This house in Shotover Country, while not quite low enough to get the Passive House tick, is nevertheless
extremely low energy. The client wanted a bold, industrial, contemporary look w hich reflected her personality.

Triple glazed wood-aluminium windows, airtight construction and super insulation were some of the low energy features, while a composting toilet, green walls and a greywater recycling system were some of the other environmental features.

The design was modelled in PHPP and all thermal bridge details were modelled in LBNL’s Therm. The house will have airtightness measured with a blower door test.

Tadelakt Bathroom

September 29, 2015 by Jessica Eyers Filed Under: Projects

Tadelakt is a construction technique used in Morocco, that covers walls inside houses in order to give them a smooth, waterproof coat using polished lime plaster. In 2010, Ben travelled to Morocco to learn this plaster technique, which is gaining in popularity all over the world. Using olive oil soap and a polishing stone. This creates a marble-smooth finish that is waterproof and extremely beautiful.

In 2014 Ben used this finish in an ensuite as part of an extension to a house in Hawea Flat.

Curved tadelakt | Hawea

Tadelakt opening | Hawea [photograph by www.siwilliams.co.nz]

Threshold detail | Hawea [photograph by www.siwilliams.co.nz]

plaster detail | Hawea [photograph by www.siwilliams.co.nz]

Warkworth Strawbale

September 19, 2015 by Jessica Eyers Filed Under: Projects

This house was designed after the client attended a strawbale building workshop with Sol Design in 2014. Beautiful NZ made timber joinery, earth and lime plastered strawbale walls and an earth floor give this contemporary design a lot of soul. Nearing completion, this house has been built, in the main, by the client himself. See their blog at https://21cstraw.wordpress.com/

Pre plaster | Warkworth strawbale

Framing | Warkworth strawbale

Bale raising | Warkworth strawbale

Comfortable, low energy home in Wanaka

September 19, 2015 by Jessica Eyers Filed Under: Projects

This home was designed for Ben’s parents in 2008. Viv and Bruce wanted a home that was guaranteed to be comfortable through-out the year, that made the most of their site’s beautiful views, and was environmentally friendly. Specifically, Viv wanted an upstairs bedroom with a spiral staircase! Features of the house include high levels of insulation, a beautiful rammed earth wall, lime plastered walls internally and of course, the spiral staircase, in its own tower. Bruce monitors the energy consumption and internal temperatures; the house stays warm in winter (so warm they have never had to put a duvet on their bed) and cool in summer. The heating pipes in the concrete slab have never been connected.

Lounge | Rammed earth | Wanaka Low Energy House

Hall | Rammed earth | Wanaka Low Energy House

Exposed rafters and sarking | Wanaka Low Energy House

Totara Spiral Staircase | Wanaka Low Energy House

Our story

August 21, 2015 by Jessica Eyers Filed Under: Services

Ben and jessica eyers [photograph by www.alpineimages.co.nz]

Ben and Jessica met thanks to a mutual love of rock climbing in Wanaka in 2006.

They soon realised that they had far in common than this and in 2008 designed and built their first house in Wanaka – an energy efficient passive solar house that is still functioning well today.

We believe that buildings do not need to be detrimental to the environment and to health. Environmental buildings are good buildings: well designed, well built and pleasant and healthy to be in.

Today Ben and Jessica work with really diverse clients to produce truly ecological, healthy & beautiful housing – providing real comfort and less cost to the environment, with the added benefit of minimal running costs.

Hiberna provides a full service, from concept and planning, through design and analysis, to building and finishing. If you have a question about natural building or energy, we would love to try to help!

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